


I really am a mess, aren't I?

by _FairGame_ (CharlieRhees)



Series: RWBY Fics [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22924801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharlieRhees/pseuds/_FairGame_
Summary: Clover gets injured and of course, Qrow blames himself for it.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: RWBY Fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1647586
Comments: 15
Kudos: 86





	I really am a mess, aren't I?

Qrow clenched Harbinger tightly as he watched the Grimm come closer. He was tasked to keep them away from the vehicle as they carried Clover inside it. He tried to focus on the task at hand, pushing back any thoughts of guilt or self-deprecation that were starting to creep into his mind. He had to focus on the task at hand and not something that could hinder himself and hurt the people he cared about. 

“Uncle Qrow!” Qrow jumped away from the Grimm as it evaporated and he turned to face his niece. 

“Clover is safe, you can stop fighting them now!” Ruby shouted towards him, hands over her mouth to make her voice even louder than it already was so it could reach Qrow over the growling and howling of the Grimm. Qrow turned towards the Grimm one last time before looking back at Ruby, putting away Harbinger and running towards the truck they had come in on. He hopped on as they began to drive away and he fell back onto the seats with a heavy sigh. “Are you okay, Uncle Qrow?”

Qrow let out a chuckle, getting more comfortable in his seat as he prepared for the long journey back. 

“Of course, kiddo,” Qrow waved off Ruby’s concern before continuing. “Shouldn’t we be worrying about Clover, that Grimm got a good hit in.”

“Clover is fine, he’s stable, he just needs to get his injury looked at and he’ll be fine,” Yang added as she crossed her arms over her chest, leaning on the wall with a foot over the other. “We’re more worried about you.”

“You shouldn’t be, I’m fine,” Yang groans, throwing her head back and arms up in frustration. 

“You’re obviously not fine, we saw the look on your face when you saw Clover get injured,” yang shouted as she looked back at her uncle. Qrow sighed as he closed his eyes, placing the top of his head on the wall behind him before opening his eyes and looking at the top of the truck they were in. “Uncle Qrow, we just want you to be happy and we know Clover makes you happy.”

“But-” Qrow stopped himself before he could say anymore. “I was surprised he got hurt, is all. I would’ve thought his semblance would’ve kept him safe.”

The look his two nieces, plus the rest of team RWBY and team JNR, gave him told him that they didn’t believe the bullshit he was spewing out. He heaved a heavy sigh as he leaned forward. 

“You don’t want to hear my problems, you have enough,” He had started opening up more to his nieces and their friends, but he was still not sure about adding more problems onto the already huge pile of problems that Salem was creating for everyone in Remnant. They had enough on their plate as it was and he wasn’t eager to add his problems to the list. 

“Uncle Qrow,” Ruby spoke in a warning tone and Qrow looked over. “We know you want to go with him, so just go!”

“It’s not that easy, kiddo,” Qrow grumbled out, closing his eyes at the onslaught of thoughts plaguing his head on what could happen if he went. 

"Really? Or is that just you projecting your fears and stopping yourself from doing something you want to do?” Yang reasoned as she crossed her arms over her chest, a frustrated tone in her voice as she spoke. Silence followed her words before she sat next to her uncle and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Uncle Qrow, I’m sure Clover would appreciate you being there.” 

Qrow looked between his nieces and their friends before sighing and standing to his feet. The smiles that were sent his way as he did so made his heart warm at the reminder that they all cared about him. 

He walked towards the stretcher that the medical huntsman brought along for Clover, sitting down next to it as he looked down at the peaceful look on Clovers face. If it wasn’t for the blood slowly tinting the white of the stretcher red, he would’ve thought that Clover was just taking a nap on his way back to Atlas. 

He sighed before he reached out, albeit slightly hesitant, and grabbed onto Clover’s hand, noticing how warm it was. It made him lightly relaxed knowing the other was at least not cold. Although it was a miracle with how little the ace-op wore. Qrow had no idea why Clover decided to walk around with no sleeves in a place that was well known for its harsh and cold climates and tundras. 

Qrow held onto Clover’s hand the entire way back to Atlas and refused to leave the operatives' side when they looked after the wound he had acquired. He tried not to look too much at the wound, not wanting to remind himself that it was his fault that the other was even injured in the first place. 

Once the medics left he was left alone in the hospital room with Clover, hand still grasping the others. He wanted to be there when Clover woke up, to at least make sure the other was okay. He knew the medics told him the wound wasn't that bad, but a part of him was still worried beyond explanation. 

The rest of the ace-ops visited, as well as the kids, but the ace-ops didn't stay long. Although Qrow had seen the smirk that Marrow had thrown his way. He was still trying to figure out what that meant. 

The kids had stayed for longer, however, asking him if he was okay and telling him that he needed to remember to look after himself as well. He hummed and he could tell the kids knew he wasn't going to do either, focusing all his attention on Clover. 

“You’re still here?” Qrow looked over at the door, finding Marrow leaning on the doorframe as he looked at his captain, an unreadable look on his face. 

“Where else would I be?” Qrow shot back, sounding as tired as he felt. Marrow looked over at him. 

“With your nieces and their friends,” Qrow sighed. “You really care about Clover don’t you?” 

Qrow didn’t even react, too tired to be surprised that Marrow was the one to bring it up. He had seen the way the ace-ops looked at him when they came to visit Clover, but he was starting to think none of them would bring it up. And if someone did bring it up, he definitely didn’t expect it to have been Marrow for some reason. Even if the Faunus was the most emotional out of all the operatives. 

“You could say that, yeah,” Marrow sighed as Qrow turned to face Clover again, looking down at their hands. 

“You know that he doesn’t blame you right?” Qrow looked back up, a shocked look on his face, and Marrow just chuckled at his expression before continuing. “He can’t tell you himself,” Marrow gestured at the state Clover was in before continuing. “But I know what’s what he would say. He talks very highly of you.”

“That I don’t believe at all,” Qrow chuckled, hiding the fact a part of him wanted to believe what the Faunus was saying. He wanted to believe that Clover thought so highly of him. 

“You should,” Marrow moved forward, shutting the door as he walked to the opposite side of the bed to Qrow, pulling up his own chair and sitting down, eyes glued to Clover as he did. “I know that everyone else on the team says we aren’t friends, that this is only business, but Clover is like a brother to me. I don’t make it a big thing, I don’t want to put any of my teammates into a spot like that when they think the way they do. But he talks to me a lot and guess who he talks about the most when we do?” 

Qrow knew what was coming, but he wasn’t ready when the words tumbled out of Marrow’s mouth. 

“You,” Marrow chuckled as he saw the way Qrow’s face twisted into shock as he kept his eyes glued to his hand. “He never shuts up about you. He talks a lot about how proud he is of you and how hard you’re fighting to keep clean for your family. He talks about how he wants to see you happy and healthy a lot as well.”

The words that kept tumbling out of Marrow’s mouth hit Qrow like a ton of bricks and he didn’t know what to do with the information he was being given. Marrow wasn’t the type to lie about something like this, he had shown that he was a very reliable guy over the weeks Qrow had been in Atlas. 

Marrow continued to talk but Qrow was in his own mind, eyes locked in one place as his thoughts raced in his head. 

_ God, I need a drink,  _ Qrow thought before he realised what he was thinking and scowled at himself. He was doing so well, he was not going to lose all the progress now. His family needed him to be clean, and that was exactly what he intended to be for them. 

“Qrow?” Qrow looked up as his name was mentioned and saw Marrow giving him a worried look. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” Qrow begrudgingly answered, coughing slightly as his voice cracked, hoping to get the lump in his throat to go away so he didn’t sound so broken. Marrow sighed before getting to his feet. 

“If you say so, I need to get back to work,” Qrow nodded as Marrow put the chair back where it was before and made his way towards the door, turning back before he opened it. “Make sure to look after yourself as well, okay?” 

Before Qrow could say anything in response, Marrow was already leaving and closing the door as he went. Qrow sighed and looked at Clover, smiling softly as he saw the mess that was usually the operatives neat and proper hair. 

“I really am a mess aren’t I?” 

It was a few days before Clover was conscious again and in those few days, Qrow spent every second worrying about the other. 

“Qrow?” Qrow sat up from his position, head on the bed. He had been resting his eyes for a bit, trying to get the sting out of them so he could look after Clover better. 

“Clover! Are you okay? How are you feeling? Are you comfortable?” Qrow wasn’t usually so emotional but, with the lack of sleep and the worry that had been eating him for days, he had no filter. Clover chuckled softly, voice raw from lack of use. 

“I’m fine, Qrow,” Clover shook his head with a fond smile on his face before he started to cough violently. The use on his throat scratched it enough to hurt. 

Qrow got to his feet and poured a cup of water for Clover, carefully handing it over to the other, making sure he wouldn’t drop it. Clover took a sip, and then another, before handing the cup back to Qrow. Qrow placed it back on the bedside table. 

“How long have I been out?” Clover cautiously asked, carefully pushing himself to sit up. Qrow moved to help and Clover smiled, letting the other help him. 

“A week and a half,” Qrow spoke, sitting back down onto his chair, placing his hands in his lap so he wouldn’t hold Clover’s hand. It was fine when the other was sleeping, it wasn’t as embarrassing, but now he was awake Qrow couldn’t do it. Clover's eyes widened at the new information and Qrow had to hold him down as Clover tried to get off the hospital bed. “You’re not well enough to do anything right now.”

“Like hell I am, my aura is bound to have healed me enough for me to be able to help,” Clover scowled and Qrow sighed. “Plus I don’t feel any pain, I’m really fine, Qrow.” 

Qrow looked away as he moved away from Clover. He didn’t want Clover to go back into the dangerous tundra to face Grimm again. He wanted Clover to be safe. Clover hummed and Qrow looked over to see the operative with a small smile on his face. 

“You can’t keep me safe all the time, Qrow,” Clover started and before Qrow could fight back Clover continued. “I’m a huntsman like you, I know what I got myself into when I started training. If I get hurt, it’s no one’s fault but mine. “

The two stared at each other as Clover’s words sunk in. Clover knew it wasn’t going to be that easy to make Qrow believe it wasn’t his fault, but it was a start and he was happy to repeat it as many times as it took to fully sink in for Qrow that it wasn’t his fault that he was injured. 

“Have you been here this entire time?” Clover finally asked when Qrow looked away. He saw Qrow nod and he sighed. “Did you rest? Did you eat?”

Qrow didn't answer, instead making a noise that Clover took as embarrassment. 

"Qrow!" Qrow jumped slightly and Clover sighed. "Sorry. You need to take care of yourself."

"I know, but I was really worried about you," Clover hummed in understanding before he patted the bed next to him and moved a bit to make room. "How about you sleep now, you can see I'm okay and you need your rest."

Clover could see that Qrow was hesitating and he sighed. 

"You'll make me feel a lot better if I know you got some rest as well," Clover explained and he could see Qrows hesitancy melt away slightly at his words. 

"Fine," Qrow sighed out and slowly got onto the bed, being careful not to jostle Clover too much. As he made himself comfortable Clover took the time to look at him better now that the other was closer. Qrow looked paler and there were dark bags under his eyes. He could feel his heartbreak at the state Qrow was in. 

When Qrow was finally comfortable enough and he had stopped moving, Clover pulled the other closer. 

"Not get some rest, Qrow," a quiet hum was the only answer that was given and soon enough Qrows breathing evened out and all the tension that Clover had felt from him before seemed to disappear. He looked down at Qrow to find the huntsman sleeping peacefully. He smiled softly and leaned closer to place a soft kiss on Qrows head. 

"Rest well, Qrow."

Qrow woke up around dinner time, feeling slightly better but also feeling immensely hungry from not eating for a few days. He could hear talking around him and he decided that he didn't want to deal with people so he pretended to sleep. He felt Clover shift next to him and decided to focus on what was being said. 

"You finally got him to rest?" Qrow could tell it was James who was talking and he inwardly rolled his eyes. 

"It took a lot to convince him, but yes I did, sir," Clover's formal voice spoke up and Qrow could feel the vibrations of it from his place, head nestled onto Clover's chest. 

“I was starting to think I would have to knock him unconscious for him to actually get some rest,” Qrow felt Clover chuckle softly at the general's words. "He must trust you a lot if he's letting you see him this vulnerable." 

Qrow tried to hide the blush he knew was going to show on his face by shifting so his face was hidden in the fabric of Clover's sleep shirt. He felt Clover tighten his hold on him as the two men stopped speaking for a bit. After a second they began talking again. Qrow guessed that they were waiting to see if he would wake up. 

"I'm honoured," Clover spoke and Qrow nearly gasped at the utter fondness in the other's voice.

There was another moment of silence where Clover tensed again before James started to talk again. 

"What are your intentions with Qrow?" Clover made a noise that Qrow understood as confusion and James continued. "I have seen the way you look and act around him and as his friend, I need to know if you are serious or only joking."

Qrow rolled his eyes under his eyelids as discreetly as he could as he heard the words from James' mouth. 

For some reason, Clover's body relaxed at the words and Qrow was confused yet again. 

"I'm deadly serious, although Qrow doesn't seem to notice I am," Qrow doesn't know what to think, his mind has stopped in its tracks at the words and nothing is coming to him. His brain, for once, is empty. "I want to court him, I just don't know how to bring it up."

"When you do you should be careful how you bring it up. Qrow is, how do I describe it? Delicate? At least emotionally. Ever since I first met him he's been the type to show a front of bravery, but deep down he's really scared," Qrow had to fight the urge to stand up for himself as James continued. "Make sure that there is no room for Qrow to misinterpret what you're saying or he will."

Clover moved slightly and Qrow could tell that Clover had just nodded at James. 

"Yes, sir."

"I'll leave you to get some more rest," The door was opened and then the sound of it closing was heard and Qrow fully relaxed. 

A moment passed. 

"I know you're awake, Qrow," Qrow sighed in frustration at getting caught and opened his eyes. He moved away, sitting up as he stretched slightly. 

"How long did you know I was awake?" Qrow asked, not looking back as the blush returned stronger at the knowledge Clover had known and had continued talking anyway. 

"You tensed up when I mentioned courting you," Clover explained and Qrow looked back in time to see CLover shrug. 

"Then why continue letting Jimmy talk if you knew I was awake?" 

"Because you needed to hear what he was saying," Qrow hummed as he motioned for Clover to continue when he saw the other had more to say. "You needed to know that people care about you, they care about what happens to you both physically and emotionally." 

Qrow didn't know what to say in return so he just let Clover continue talking. 

"Are we...." Clover started. "Are we going to talk about what I said to the general." 

Qrow sighed at that before making himself comfortable. If they were going to talk about it he was going to be as comfortable as he could be. He could tell that Clover was trying his best not to touch him and Qrow appreciated it. He wasn’t sure he could focus if Clover touched him. 

"Yeah, sure," Qrow rubbed his fingers under his eyes as he let out another sigh.

"I can stop flirting if you want," Clover started and Qrow groaned. 

"What?" Qrow spoke in slight surprise as he turned to face Clover. Clover shrugged. 

"I was just thinking since you tensed you don't want to date me so I thought I should stop flirting. It could've made you feel uncomfortable," Clover explained and Qrow had an unreadable look on his face in response. 

"You thought I was uncomfortable?" Clover nodded. 

"Were you not?"

"Of course I wasn't," Qrow sighed as he shuffled back so he was next to Clover again. He placed his head in his hands as he continued. “Part of me thought you were just being nice, were just trying to make me feel better or learn to lo...like myself or something.”

Qrow nearly tripped on his words, nearly saying love before he corrected himself. Part of him still believed that loving himself was impossible, or at the very least unreachable at his current state. 

“Did you not realise that you were the only one that I acted like that around?” Clover asked, confused. 

“I mean, yeah? But I didn’t want to get my hopes up, you know?” 

“Get your hopes up?” Clover seemed to be both confused and hopeful at the same time and Qrow had to see what that expression would look like on Clover's face. He lifted his head and looked towards Clover and was not disappointed. The look on Clover’s face was what Qrow would describe only in his head as adorable.

“Did you not realise that I flirted back?” Qrow shot back, watching the shock wash over Clover’s face before Clover chuckled and his face relaxed into one of bewilderment. 

“I guess I didn’t want to get my hopes up either,” Clover turned to face Qrow, a soft, endearing, look on his face. 

“What do we do now?” Qrow asked, voice slightly shaky as he spoke. 

“We don’t have to do anything about it at the moment, or ever, if you don’t want to,” Clover reassured, but Qrow violently shook his head at the suggestion. 

“I want this,” The words stumbled out of his mouth a little shaky, full of emotion and Clover went to step in, but Qrow shook his head. “I….just….I’m scared.” 

Clover could see it took a lot for him to admit the fact he was scared and he reached over, putting an arm around Qrow’s shoulders to comfort him. He was happy when Qrow didn’t push him away and instead leaned closer. 

“What are you scared of?” Clover asked. “Challenging your fears might help you feel better about them.”

“I’m scared of you getting hurt, of losing you, of caring so much that if anything happens to you I won’t know how to handle it,” Clover sighed and Qrow chuckled softly. “Already rethinking your decision?”

“Of course not!” Clover shot back, a horrified look on his face. “I can’t promise I won’t get hurt, I am a huntsman, but I can promise I will try my best not to put myself in situations that can get me hurt in the first place. And if anything happens to me you have your nieces, the kids, people that care about you that will make sure you’re okay. I know that for a fact.”

Qrow didn’t want to admit that Clover was right, he really didn’t, but he was. Clover was right. They were both huntsmans, they both knew what came with the job. He had no way of making sure, for definite, that Clover wouldn’t get hurt. 

“What are you thinking about, Qrow?” Qrow sighed as Clover rubbed his arm softly. 

“I know you’re right, but….”

“You don’t want to admit it out loud because you’re scared,” Qrow nodded. “That’s okay, I understand. You don’t have to say it yet if you don’t want to, I can wait.” 

Qrow made a move to talk back and Clover started to talk again. 

"We can go as slow as you want, I'm not going to push you or force you to do anything you don't want to," Clover explained and smiled wider as Qrow relaxed even more next to him, even leaning into his side more. "I'm really proud of the progress you've made."

Qrow scoffed but the small chuckle he let out afterwards told Clover that the compliment made him happy. 


End file.
